An audience with her royal Goopness: Gwyneth Paltrow fans gather to bask in her glow

Her royal Goopness, Gwyneth Paltrow, just swept through Toronto — another stop on her Canadian-friendly summer tour. This visit was all business, but really, aren't they all?

The actor-turned-lifestyle-guru held court at luxury retailer Holt Renfrew's flagship location Thursday afternoon for a carefully moderated talk (no questions from the audience, no broadcast video cameras allowed) about her newest venture: an organic beauty product line.

An assorted group of bloggers, fans, curious onlookers and store employees gathered for a glimpse of the star behind the lifestyle blog Goop (a play on her own initials). We tagged along to see what an audience with Gwyneth is like.

4:30 p.m. — A low key set-up

There's just one small poster at the entrance advertising Paltrow's beauty talk. We're ushered to the third floor where a subdued, mostly female, crowd filters in. People (of all ages) start taking their seats as servers pass out fresh-pressed juices and gluten- and sugar-free snacks. Make-up artists demo Paltrow's Juice beauty products in the back.

Onlooker Claire Kerr is scrolling on her smartphone — snapping photos of the event and the crowd, we figure. Nope. Turns out she's playing Pokemon Go. Still, she's definitely there to see Paltrow.

"I will be buying her lipstick...I didn't come here to pray," she quips, making a reference to celebrity-obsessed gawkers.

Robin Jun, a longtime fan of Paltrow's lifestyle brand, thinks the star is inspiring because she seems to be able to "do it all." Still, the devotee muses, "We never see her staff in her Instagram photos."

Jun's here today "because I want to see her in person, rather than when she is edited or scripted on Instagram."

4:50 p.m. — Her Royal Goopness enters 

Suddenly, there's movement by the front podium. Phones are held up and people take their final positions in their seats or by the stage. 

Paltrow arrives in head-to-toe pink. There are murmurs about her outfit, which brings to mind the famed Calvin Klein dress she wore for her Shakespeare in Love Oscar win — a reminder that she used to act before she became a lifestyle brand.

Introductions are made onstage: Paltrow along with Juice Beauty founder Karen Behnke and Emily Dougherty, the beauty director of Elle magazine in the U.S. Dougherty was picked to helm this heavily moderated conversation about the new line (no questions from the audience, no broadcast video cameras allowed).

4:55 p.m. — All eyes on Paltrow

The crowd is rapt, apparently drinking in "Juice." All eyes are on Paltrow. 

Dougherty is adorable in her gushing admiration for the star. Meanwhile, the object of her fawning looks blasé.

5:00 p.m. — The P word?

Is Paltrow, as rumoured, a perfectionist? 

Behnke says she prefers the term "striving for excellence." Paltrow responds with a smirk before going on to say she didn't want to create a sub-par product and that the non-toxic new beauty line has to be as good or better than what's out now.

There is a lot of detailed discussion about the ingredients in the beauty products. Paltrow goes into a vague explanation about what makes an organic product — something about a super-strict organics board in California.

No mention about organic product regulations in Canada.

5:15 p.m. —  Don't ask about the cream blush?

We're having some serious issues with the microphones: they buzz and crackle and give off high-pitched noises. Paltrow does not look impressed. Dougherty tries to ignore them, which is difficult, so she makes jokes.

Dougherty has heard Paltrow loves the cream blush — apparently her favourite product in the line — and asks her about it.

"Isn't there anything more important in the world than cream blush?" There is an awkward pause. The crowd isn't sure if she is joking or not.

Isn't there anything more important in the world than cream blush?- Gwyneth Paltrow

Dougherty quips her way out of the moment, making light of how hard it is to be a beautify editor. She jokingly asks Paltrow to give her a break.

"You just looked so serious when you were asking me about blush!" Paltrow qualifies.

Eventually though, the star gets serious. She admits to fighting with her make-up obsessed 12-year-old daughter Apple about the "toxic" beauty products the pre-teen orders online. That's partly why Paltrow wanted to create the beauty line; so her daughter and others could have options.

5:25 p.m. —  It's a wrap

The talk wraps up with Dougherty asking two questions "from the audience." They are something about beauty and make-up. She subsequently thanks Paltrow for letting her "be a nerd."

Paltrow rises and a crowd politely forms around the podium to take photos. Then, she's whisked away. As Dougherty also leaves the podium, she looks like she may pass out.

The crowd thins out fast. A few remain to try some product. Robin Jun runs up to flag a few inaccuracies about the actual health benefits of organic fruit and vegetables (versus non-organic) made during the talk.

5:35 p.m. — The verdict?

Keshav Bajaj wanted to see Paltrow up close and in person. The beauty intern at Fashion Magazine encounters celebrity-endorsed products all the time, but many stars aren't really involved. He wanted to know: was Paltrow for real?

His takeaway? Bajaj thought Paltrow was authentic and seemed focused on making sure her brand, and the philosophy of her brand, was correctly promoted — a model he thinks others should follow. 

Still, the talk was a bit awkward, he says. It seemed like everyone was here to bask in her glow, he adds, as he returns to admiring the lipstick he's trying.